Malta Food Handling Category B study plan
Malta Food Handling Category B · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Food safety hazards and contamination
Distinguish the four hazard types (biological, chemical, physical, allergenic) and give two food-business examples of each from memory
Explain how bacteria, viruses and toxins differ in onset time, infectious dose and whether cooking destroys them
Identify the main bacterial hazards in Maltese food handling practice (Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus) and state one food vehicle and one control for each
Describe the conditions bacteria need to multiply (food, moisture/water activity, acidity, time, temperature, oxygen) and apply them to a scenario
Recognise the 14 regulated allergens and explain the difference between an allergen hazard and an intolerance
Your checkpoint
A one-page hazard table (hazard, example food, control measure) covering at least 12 hazards, self-quizzed until you score 90% on a blank rewrite
Temperature control, cooking, cooling and cold storage
State the legal temperature requirements of the cold chain: chilled storage at 5°C or below, frozen storage at -18°C or below, and hot holding at 63°C or above
Explain the two-stage cooling rule (from 63°C to 21°C within 2 hours, then to 5°C within a further 4 hours) and apply it to a batch-cooking scenario
Identify the safe cooking core temperatures for poultry, minced meat, and reheated food, and explain why reheating must reach 70°C or above
Describe how to calibrate a probe thermometer using the ice-point method and list the cleaning steps between readings
Explain the danger zone (5°C to 63°C) and why time in the danger zone must be minimised and recorded
Your checkpoint
A completed temperature log template plus a 10-question self-test on temperature limits, all answers correct and written from memory
Cross-contamination prevention and separation of raw and ready-to-eat foods
Define ready-to-eat food and list at least six examples relevant to a Maltese kitchen or deli
Explain the physical separation controls between raw and RTE foods: separate storage zones, colour-coded boards and utensils, separate preparation areas and separate staff or hand-wash points
Describe correct refrigerator layout (raw below, RTE above, covered and labelled) and the reasoning behind it
Explain how cross-contamination occurs via hands, cloths, equipment, drip and aerosols, and give a control for each route
Apply separation rules to a delivery-receiving scenario involving raw poultry and RTE salad
Your checkpoint
A hand-drawn kitchen layout showing raw, RTE and waste zones with arrows for staff flow, plus a written justification of each separation control
Personal hygiene and hand hygiene & Cleaning, disinfection and pest control
State the correct hand-washing procedure (wet, soap, lather 20 seconds, rinse, dry with disposable towel) and identify the six key moments for hand washing
Explain when hand sanitizer is and is not a substitute for hand washing
Describe the rules on jewellery, nail varnish, false nails, watches and mobile phones, and the correct use of gloves
Explain the difference between cleaning and disinfection and the two-stage clean-then-disinfect process
Identify the correct disinfectant contact time and dilution, and state which pests (cockroaches, rodents, flies) are most likely in a food premises and how to recognise their signs
Your checkpoint
A written cleaning schedule for one kitchen area (surface, frequency, chemical, dilution, contact time, responsible person) plus a 15-question self-test on hand hygiene
Food premises design, equipment and waste handling & Food safety hazards and contamination
List the design features of a food premises that prevent contamination: smooth impervious surfaces, coving, adequate lighting, ventilation, washable floors and separate wash-hand basins
Explain the requirements for waste handling: lidded bins, frequent removal, separate storage away from food, and pest-proof external bins
Describe the requirements for food contact surfaces and equipment (food-grade, easy to clean, maintained) and how to check condition
Revisit the hazard table from week 1 and link each hazard to a premises or equipment control
Explain the role of pest control measures (proofing, monitoring, professional contracts) in preventing contamination
Your checkpoint
A 10-point premises inspection checklist you have applied to a real or described kitchen, with at least three findings and corrective actions
Legal responsibilities, HACCP-based procedures and record keeping
Explain the legal duty of food handlers under EU and Maltese food law to ensure food safety and to report illness, and state the notifiable symptoms (vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, jaundice, infected wounds)
Describe the seven HACCP principles and give one critical control point (CCP) example with a critical limit, monitoring method and corrective action
Explain the difference between a hazard, a CCP and a control point, and identify which steps in a recipe are CCPs
Describe the records a food business must keep: temperature logs, cleaning records, delivery checks, training records and traceability (one step back, one step forward)
Explain the role of the Environmental Health Directorate and what an inspector will ask for during an inspection
Your checkpoint
A one-page HACCP summary for a single dish, with at least two CCPs, limits, monitoring, corrective actions and records listed
Food safety hazards and contamination & Temperature control, cooking, cooling and cold storage & Cross-contamination prevention and separation of raw and ready-to-eat foods
Work through mixed scenarios that combine hazards, temperature and separation, and justify each control
Identify the most likely cause of a described food poisoning outbreak from the onset time and food vehicle
Explain how to handle a delivery that arrives above temperature and how to decide whether to accept or reject it
Describe how to respond to a suspected food poisoning complaint, including retention of samples and records
Re-test your weakest domain from weeks 1 to 6 and close the gap
Your checkpoint
Ten scenario answers written under timed conditions (2 minutes each) scoring at least 8/10, with a short note on each error
Personal hygiene and hand hygiene & Cleaning, disinfection and pest control & Food premises design, equipment and waste handling & Legal responsibilities, HACCP-based procedures and record keeping
Consolidate the lighter domains with rapid recall of hand hygiene, cleaning, premises and legal duties
Complete two full timed mock exams covering all seven domains and review every wrong answer
Rewrite your weakest three facts until you can state them without prompts
Rehearse the practical expectations: hand-wash demonstration, thermometer use, and explaining a cleaning schedule aloud
Prepare a final one-page summary sheet of limits, temperatures and legal duties for last-minute review
Your checkpoint
Two completed mock exams at 85% or above, plus a one-page final summary sheet written from memory
Milestones
Week 2: State the chilled, frozen, hot-holding, cooking, reheating and cooling temperature limits from memory with no errors
Week 4: Demonstrate the full hand-wash procedure and explain cleaning versus disinfection without notes
Week 6: Explain the seven HACCP principles and name two CCPs with limits, monitoring and corrective action
Week 8: Score 85% or above on two full timed mock exams covering all seven domains